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  #31  
Old 10-29-2012, 01:37 PM
joeinid joeinid is offline
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Originally Posted by Penthouse-D View Post
Sorry Mac owners. It's simply not a option. Thanks though. Maybe I'll just wait out the pricing problem with the ARC 5SE at the moment, unless someone has a suggestion for me. Feel free to PM me if that's the case. I called B.A.T. and spoke with a tech guy who was very nice and sort of hinted that a replacement for the 52 is coming out. Maybe I could borrow Joe's VAC for a weekend and see????!!!
I don't even have it yet
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  #32  
Old 10-29-2012, 01:39 PM
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Masterlu Masterlu is offline
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GIGO

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MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES
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Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES
Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES
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Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES
Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES
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  #33  
Old 10-29-2012, 04:10 PM
bzr bzr is offline
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Originally Posted by Penthouse-D View Post
Sorry Mac owners. It's simply not a option. Thanks though. Maybe I'll just wait out the pricing problem with the ARC 5SE at the moment, unless someone has a suggestion for me. Feel free to PM me if that's the case. I called B.A.T. and spoke with a tech guy who was very nice and sort of hinted that a replacement for the 52 is coming out. Maybe I could borrow Joe's VAC for a weekend and see????!!!
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Originally Posted by Masterlu View Post
GIGO

Gear in, Gear out...
Ah, so that was advert I saw while in NY, Joe's rent to own...
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  #34  
Old 10-30-2012, 02:31 AM
Bodhisattva
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I think the word warm gets thrown around a lot but if I had to choose an alternative word to describe the ARC Reference 5SE, it's not so much warm as it is "magical"

There's a lot of depth and 3 dimensionality to the soundstage that the ARC tubes bring to the table and there's a lushness to how voices and instruments sound. It's not the traditionally mellow/slow/syruppy tube sound (particularly those from China) and it's actually dynamic and fast, maybe faster than some SS preamps as well. It does lose a smidgen of pace to something like the Ayre KX-R but the depth of the soundstage and how musical everything sounds is something to behold.

IMHO
If it came down a choice between the Bat & ARC Ref 5SE, i'm with you Doggie & would (personally) go for the ARC
Last edited by Bodhisattva; 11-04-2012 at 02:01 AM.
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  #35  
Old 10-31-2012, 07:45 AM
Down Under Down Under is offline
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Originally Posted by cmalak View Post
Jim...the only thing I would watch out for is the impedance match between ARC pres and Pass amps. ARC requires a minimum 20Kohm load to drive, and I believe the input impedance of the Pass amps is 20Kohms via SE and 30Kohms via XLR inputs. So this meets the minimum threshhold recommended by ARC. But because it is right on the cusp, I would recommend auditioning the Ref 5SE (or any other ARC pre) with your Pass amps before pulling the trigger. You want a preamp that has a very low output impedance to match up with your SS Pass amps. I would give a Pass pre a try. The synergy should be there from the get go. My 2c.
This advice is spot on.After trying X260.5 mono blocks with my LS27 preamp through balanced connections I found it to be a symbiotic combination that is dynamic,but with flesh and bones.It is detailed without being fatiguing.That is not to say that I wouldn't mind trying a 5SE...........
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  #36  
Old 10-31-2012, 04:40 PM
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vintage_tube vintage_tube is offline
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Synergy is the real key with preamps. I was disheartened years ago when I wanted a REF 3 so bad I could taste it. My co-worker brought his over and we did an A/B between it and the C500T (a week or so later, I took the combo to his house and we did an A/B with the C500T combo in his ARC amp system).

He wasn't happy afterwards when he left my house and felt somewhat better when I left his house.

Best

Bob
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